"Stop! So what if I get to live longer, we'll just die in four years anyways. You, a god, manipulating us little dying mortals with false hopes, must be hilarious for you, huh?"
This forceful shout, this is not something that the mind can do. No matter how loud you shout or how quiet you whisper, the volume doesn't change.
But this time, Jack could clearly hear Zhenin shout.
This isn't just Zhenin's physical words or thoughts anymore, it's his soul screaming. That's right, for a person who never experienced a peaceful life with a death's mark already looming at his 19th birthday. What kind of personality would such hopelessness build?
Even though a part of Zhenin's soul has entered his kingdom, it doesn't let Jack read the memories in his soul. Just like the stone in his necklace, Zhenin's soul in the white space is only a small part of it, marking the blood ties.
He could force it, but it won't last a second. Not to mention that it really is a tiny fragment that may contain just a few hours of his memories.
Besides, Jack knew what he could and could not do. He would not lower himself just to read someone's thoughts. It just so happens that to achieve his goals, he needed to save the people on Buriean.
And no matter what, even before he became a stone, he was already a stage 4 advanced being, why does he need to tell someone who never even reached the first stage his plans and thoughts.
Jack knew he had the capabilities of a true, almighty god. But his thoughts are definitely human. While he's already 3 quintillion years old by now, he's only been awake for a little over 500 years.
Looking at the frustrated kid lying helplessly on the floor in his own pool of blood, Jack almost didn't know what to do.
He does have a way to have the mental capacity of an almighty god. Still, he found out that the solutions made from those thoughts are extremely utilitarian.
Jack was never a hero, in fact, he was a space pirate. Pillaging planets, be it the poorest of planets or the most lavish worlds, he never backed down. The only thing he really cared for was the people closest to him and his word.
During the 900th millennia, people viewed lying as a sign of weakness. Why do people need to lie? Because they're afraid to face the consequences. Because they don't have the capacity. Because they're unable to.
What about the higher-ups? The powerful?
They don't lie, they deceive. They control the truths, they mislead.
This was one of the most prominent slogans of the largest protester at the time. There was a point where the support was so significant, it affected the daily lives of regular people.
Of course, the slogan was true.
Advertised by the rich as a cult, the protestants were hated and failed. They just didn't have enough powerful individuals enough to turn their ideals into truths.
This is how Jack became an orphan.
Before Jack replied, he glanced at the six broken souls that he once called his crew, then at the back where two broken souls rested. Seeing the red soul, Jack answered.
"Which part of the things I've ask you to do has been hilarious so far?"
"You! You could warp things away and back, yet we still are here aren't we?" Zhenin retorted.
"What gives you the right?"
Zhenin shut up immediately. Indeed he had been feeling a little too pompous. Even he doesn't know why, but he does.
"Besides, I'm not here to raise you, I'm here to help. If you think you can exploit me and get away with it, then there's nothing much we could talk about."
"Then what exactly do you want to do?"
"None of your concern."
"Of course it is, you're asking us to make a church by using miracles and attract people to your cause. Not the mention, you had us take revenge for people we never even knew, why?"
Jack looked at Zhenin. He definitely understood where Zhenin was coming from. People who have strong faith in what they have never needed religion. These people are more independent.
Relying on someone? Don't joke with me, their individuality is so strong that relying on someone to live feels like they're just slaves.
Of course, not everyone is like that, but most are.
If Zhenin wasn't born on a dying solar system, he's sure to be a talent with a profession around the age of 20. But here he is, suffering under the constant expulsion of radiation of a dying star. With supposedly only four years left to live, slaving away for that remaining time doesn't sound too good.
Jack, himself, didn't know what to do. Zhenin's personality has been forged by constant struggling so no one could control him. Even though quests have their rewards, instead of feeling happy, this kid would find more ways to want more benefits, especially quests that require hardship.
After thinking about it, Jack decided.
"That is my own business, I pay you to do what I want."
"Then I refuse."
"Sure."
Not giving Zhenin a chance, with a snap, the red soul disappeared from the white space.
Looking at the soul of Zhenin's parents, Jack couldn't help but sigh.
"The deal was to provide them help, them not accepting it is none of my concern."
…
Planet Buriean, Huelin City.
Back in the kitchen where Zhenin fell, his consciousness returned to his body. Feeling extremely feeble, he could feel himself fading away.
Now that he's back on his body, he began to feel conflicted.
"What the fuck did I just do?"
"I never wanted to give up at all, why was I like that?"
Tears really did began to fell. For a moment there, he felt like he just had enough and wanted to end everything. Now that he's back in his body, there was not a shred of hopelessness at all.
"Of course I'm willing, I was just mad. Please. Don't take away my mom and dad," he cried in his head.
Jack also didn't realize this as he thought he was able to pull Zhenin's complete soul into his space.
*KA*
A crisp sound came from his necklace. He didn't even get to finish his thoughts before he saw the necklace that hit his face beginning to crack. He could also feel something disappearing from his finger.
As the stone cracked, a purple liquid oozed out of the stone. It was Zhenin's blood.
He knew how stupid his act was, there was always benefits for doing the quests. Even the punishment is only a result of actually doing it. He never thought of it before, but was Jack sending them to take revenge for the half-lions something he despised? He even thought it was heroic!
What would Jack want from them even? Energy is so versatile, it can be converted to drinkable water and edible food with the right machine. If he just wanted to eat those half-lions, who were already drowning in radiation, then one would've been enough, right?
At that moment, his mind was filled with endless regret. "Just what the hell happened to me?"
There literally were planets that looked like it was thriving, a yellow sun that doesn't look like it's about to expand and burn everything to ashes.
Everything looked alive. That's right, he doesn't have the right to demand. Who complains that way to their benefactors? Why am I suddenly so stupid? ARGH.
As the stone was about to disappear, he regained his calm. Immediately, he accessed his rewards and took it all out.
"Breakthrough."
Holding tightly to the energy crystals he got from his rewards, he began to remember the instructions sent to him by Jack.
Fortunately for him, Jack didn't take everything back.
As his hopelessness was obliterated by Jack, Zhenin was full of determination.
Finally, willing to back down, Zhenin prayed.
"Please wait for me and accept me once again."
Unbeknownst to him, to what looked like an empty macrame necklace is a small speck of stone that remained when he prayed.
Closing his eyes, all kinds of energy began circulating in his body. Unlike the first level where the energy needed to be concentrated on the core muscles. This time, the energy required to flow from the core upwards to convert the whole torso.
The morphing requires the cell to be restructured and rebuilt. Due to his injury, the pain of destroying the cells was lessened relatively, as he's already in pain.
Just like before, the process was smooth, and aside from the pain, there was no hitch.
The entire thing only took five seconds.
While there had been instances where the morphing took only less than a second, this was without supporting tech.
The lingering laser heat energy lessened considerably, but it was still there. Zhenin continued and broke through to the third level. From his torso, the energy began to flow from his core then to his heart. Being carried with blood, his cells began to absorb the flowing energy, including his joints and limbs.
The reason why the limbs came first before the head was there are too many senses congregated on the head. For everywhere else, it's just the sense of touch, thus altering the cells wasn't difficult at all.
This time the morphing took 15 seconds. It was incredibly quick, but for someone who was brimming with adrenaline, drenched in constant radiation with lingering energy in his body. This is the most average result.
The moment he successfully broke through, all his energy crystals had turned empty and lost its luster. Even the lingering energy on his stump had disappeared completely.
Now Zhenin was feeling a very contradictory feeling, on one side, he's famished, parched, and exhausted. On the other side, the original biological energy that was being circulated and stored in his cells began to circulate, giving him a burst of strength.
*TSA, TSA, TSA, TSA*
Hearing the footsteps from the windows, Zhenin could tell who it was. Looking at his own broken flesh scattered on the ground from his leg, he had a thought. He even began to feel his tank a little bit full.
After a short deliberation, Zhenin gritted his teeth and decisively ate his own flesh and drank his own pee.
No time to think about it now.
Slithering to the counter, Zhenin leaned on the cabinet.
After a few more steps, the sounds changed as Zhenin could hear the creak of the window.
It's now or never.